Football: Garnes shines as Eaglecrest runs away from Smoky Hill in broadcast of A-Town Game of the Week

Raptors find all sorts of ways to score, stymie Buffs to win opener

Eaglecrest junior Victor Garnes (12) celebrates with teammates after his 43-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter of the Raptors’ 49-7 Week 1 prep football victory over Smoky Hill on Sept. 1, 2016. Garnes scored three touchdowns to lead the Raptors to a win in the A-Town Game of the Week. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

GREENWOOD VILLAGE | For a Thursday on the opening week of the prep football season, Eaglecrest’s Victor Garnes looked in midseason form.

The electrifying junior caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Jalen Mergerson on his first touch of the season and in the opening quarter and later added a 35-yard touchdown run and capped it with a 47-yard interception return for a score in the Raptors’ 49-7 win over Smoky Hill at Stutler Bowl in the A-Town Game of the Week.

Eaglecrest sophomore Tyler Dufour heads to the end zone his way to a 70 yard touchdown off a fumble recovery in the first half of the Raptors’ 49-7 win over Smoky Hill on Sept. 1, 2016, at Stutler Bowl. (Photo by Gabriel Christus/Aurora Sentinel)

Mergerson threw touchdown passes to Garnes and junior Theryne Sandoval-Jimenez, junior Jaydin Vaughn rushed for a pair of scores and sophomore linebacker Tyler Dufour scooped up a fumble and returned it 70 yards to the end zone as Eaglecrest won the first meeting with its former Centennial League rivals since 2013.

Coach Mike Schmitt’s Raptors invoked a running clock with a 42-point margin in the third quarter and held the Buffaloes off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter, when senior running back Joseph Lawrence scored on a short touchdown run.

It was a frustrating night offensively for coach John Trahan’s Smoky Hill squad, which had three straight trips to the Eaglecrest 30 yard line in the opening half that resulted in no points.

Smoky Hill quarterback Karson Avila (6) tries to get rid of the ball as Eaglecrest’s Elijah Brockman pursues during the Buffs’ 49-7 loss to the Raptors on Sept. 1, 2016, at Stutler Bowl. (Photo by Gabriel Christus/Aurora Sentinel)

Two of those series that ended inches shy of a first down on fourth down conversion tries, while the other resulted in Dufour’s long touchdown return when the ball was jarred loose from scrambling Buffs quarterback Karson Avila.